Machine for forming soles



J. M. EWART MACHINE FOR FORMING SOLES July 12, 1949.

Filed NOV. 14, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 12, 1949. J. M E'WART v 2,475,653

MACHINE FOR FORMING SOLES Filed Nov. 14,1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 12, 1949, .1. M. EWART 2,475,553

MACHINE FOR FORMING SOLES Filed Nov. 14, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet a Fig.5.

lnm n-ior JohnMEwari Patented July 12 194 UNIT E D S TAT E S OFF 1 C 2,475,663

MACHINE FOR FORMING SOLES .lohnM. Ewart, Beverly, Mass, designer to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N,J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 14, 1947, SerialNo; 785,875

This invention relates to machines for forming soles and is concerned particularly with the preparation of=soles for their attachment to shoes by means of a cement.

In making a shoe of this typeit is important that a secure and lclose attachment of the sole toqthe shoe bottom be obtained, especially along their margins; In the attainment of thisrequ-irement it is customaryto impart axcupped-formation to the sole bytransversely curving its margin so that when the sole is applied to the shoe bottom, their surfaces having been coated with cement, themargin of the sole will tend to hug the shoe bottom. Such a condition insures effective adhesion as well as a close joint between the soleand shoe bottom at all points around the shoe.

It commonly happens, in thus forming a sole bythe use of prior machines, that the sole is marred on the. grain side by excessive pressure or rubbing of the operatingmembers against it. In addition, the sole may also be so twisted that in pressing the soleagainst the shoe bottom the margin of the sole will buckle away from the shoe bottom as the twist is removed. Wherever such buckling occurs the sole margin springs away from the shoe bottom instead of lying closely against it .as is desired.

In View of the foregoing, the principal object of the .invention is to'provide an improved machine for imparting the curvature to a sole mars gin, which is desired. in connection with the cement sole attaching methodsas outlined above, without otherwise deforming the sole as by twisting it and Without marring its grain surface.

Other objects and the various features of the invention will ppear from the following description of an illustrative machine embodying the invention and will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2is a view in perspective, partly in section, of a sole which has been formed by the useof the machine;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure shown inFig. 1;

Fig. 4 is .a front elevation showing the operatin members of Fig. 3 at an enlarged scale and lcper ating upon a sole;

Fig, 5 is a plan view of the machine; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the operating members showing a sole being operated upon.

The illustrated machine comprises a pedestal 11 Claims. (Cl. 12-9-22) i 2 1.0 above the top of which a flat table I2 is mounted ona bracket 14, the bracket being secured to the pedestal by a screw l6. The rear right corner. lot the table is cut away as shown in Fig. 5 and is provided with asemicircu'lar recess within'whic'h closely fits a sole support 18 in the form of a disk, theupper radial surface of which is flush with the tabl'e, This dis'k is fixed to the upper .end of: a spindle :20 .Which is mounted to rotate freely aboutavertical axisin bearings 22, .24 (Fig. Sithe latter bearing having a ball-thrust element for supporting the disk 18 vertically.

Cooperatingpwiththe disk 18 to impart a feed movement to a sole disposed between them is a r feed wheel 26 having asnarrow knurled periphery which is larranged to engagethe sole along a narrow band spacedinwardly from its edge. The feed. wheel is held'by ascrew 28 on theouter end of a shaft Bil-whichzis mounted to rotate in a bearing member 32. Yie'idingmovement of the feed wheel toward and from the disk 18 is pr0- yided by mounting the member .32 topivot on a pair of trunnions 34 which are carried by lugs .36 extending upwardly from the top of the pedestal, For a portion of its lengththe bearing member 32 is bifurcated aas 'shown in Fig. 5 and here closely receives .a'post 3-8 which "braces the bearmg member against lateral movement and has a clearance hole 40 through which the shaft 30 p se The lowermost position of the feed wheel 26, which it just clears thed-isk I8, is determined by a plunger 42 whichis'lides inand seats on the head of the iledestal llll. The feed wheel is yieldingly urgedtowardthe'disk icy a -coil spring 44, the lower end of which hears against the upper side of the bearing 1member-32, the compression of the springheing underthe control of a knob 46 which engagesnthe upper end of the spring and threadedin a projection 48 extending late a y from the post a 8, i

The feed wheel 25 is .constantl-yrotated by connections oomp'ri-singa pulley SlVvvhieh' is fixed 0 t e sh t 39 end driven by a belt 52 which ma be driven from any suitable source such as a belt drivenwcountershart 54 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Cooperatin with the feed wheel 26 to impart the desired concavity tothe margin' of a sole, as illustrated n Fig. are .azfrusto-conical roll d aprcjectionm extending upwardly from the disk J 8 and coaxially therewith. The roll 56 is freely rotatable upon a stud 60 which extends th ough a :slotfiZ in the table and which may be clamped in any desired position along slot by setting up a nut 64 threaded on the lower end of the stud. To facilitate presenting a sole to the machine, the feed wheel can be elevated against the pressure of the spring 44 by operating a treadle (not shown) to which is connected a treadle rod 85. This rod and the lower end of the plunger 42 are pivotally connected by pins 68, m respectively to alever 12 which itself is pivoted on a pin 14 carried by a projection 15 extending downwardly from the head of the pedestal I8. With the feed wheel 26 in an elevated position, the margin of a sole is inserted between it and the disk I8, the edge of the sole being in engagement at 16 (Fig. 4) with a guard 18 which is fixed to the end of the bearing member 32 adjacent to the feed wheel. The guard and bearing member are provided with a recess '80 into which the extremity of the projection 58 telescopes so that in the normal operation of the machine the guard presents a shoulder to the edge of the sole, which shoulder extends entirely around the projection. When the treadle is released a spring 82 which surrounds the plunger 42 moves the latter downwardly, permitting similar movement of the bearing member 32 under the pressure of the spring 44. The portion of the sole underneath the feed Wheel 28 is thus brought to the level of the table [2, the margin of the sole being bent away from the table by the projection 58 and the body of the sole being bent away from the table by the roll 58. Different adjustments of the roll 56 along the slot 62 may be employed depending upon the amount of bending or cupping desired in the sole margin. By adjusting the knob 46 the compression in the spring 44 can be brought to an amount sufficient to cause the feed wheel 26 to flex the sole in the above described manner without pressing it with any substantial force against the radial surface of the disk l8. It will also be observed with reference to Fig.4 that substantial areas of clearance above the sole at each side of the feed wheel insure against the sole being subjected to any molding action, as distinguished from purely bending, from either the projection 58 or the roll 56. Accordingly, any tendency for the grain (lower) side of the sole to be marred by pressure from the members which engage it is minimized; and the same end is furthered by the fact that both the roll 56 and disk [8 are rotated freely in response to the feeding movement of the sole and so cannot rub against or burnish the sole.

Referring now to Fig. 6 it will be noted that the bite of the feed wheel 26 and disk I8 is beyond, with regard to the direction of the feeding movement, a line between points on the roll 55 and projection 58 which are spanned by the sole. The effect of this relation is to cause the sole at and beyond the feed wheel 28 to be held down against the table I2 owing to the fact that the roll 56 and projection 58 lift the sole away from the table in advance 'of the feed wheel. This action on the sole materially aids in maintaining the generally flat condition of the sole lengthwise thereof while its margin is being formed. or cupped.

This holding of the sole against the table as it passes beyond the feed wheel is furthered by a guide 84 which also is arranged to cooperate with the feed wheel 26 and the disk I8 to provide a cross-feed. The guide 84 is frusto-conical and is mounted on the table in an inverted position so that it presents an overhanging guiding surface to the edge of the sole. The guide is mounted 4 to rotate freely on a stud 86 which is fixed to one end of a bar 88. A bolt 90 which passes through a slot 92 in the bar and is threaded into the table 12 is adapted to secure the bar in any desired position of adjustment on the table. A typical arrangement of the guide 84 and feed roll 25 which provides a satisfactory feeding action is illustrated by 6 in which the feeding action of the feed wheel is directed obliquely across the sole margin toward the guide and along a line which passes between the guide and the projection 58. The feeding action thus tends to hold the edge of the sole against the guide 84 and the guard 18 simultaneously, and accordingly, the sole is caused to position itself automatically throughout the feeding action as is usual in this type of feed. It is further noted that the pressure of the sole against the guide '84 develops a wedging action between the sole and the overhanging surface of the guide which assists in holding the sole in this locality against the table.

As an operation upon a sole proceeds the sole is swung from one position to another on the table owing to the changing contour of that portion of the sole edge which is between the projection 58 and the guide 84. When a deeply concave portion of the sole edge, such as occurs in the shank near the ball line, approaches the projection 58 the swinging movement of the sole on the table becomes rather abrupt and is opposed to the feeding action. In order to prevent the sole at this time from being forced too hard against the guard 78, with the consequent danger of jamming, an auxiliary guide 94 is provided. This guide is in the form of a vertical finger which is not engaged by the sole while the convex portions of it are being operated upon. The guard is so positioned, however, as to be engaged by the edge of the sole well in advance of the projection 58 when a concave portion of the sole passes the projection 58; and at this time the guide 94 assists the guard 18 in resisting the thrust of the sole. The guard is mounted for adjustment axially of the feed wheel 26 on the projection 48 and is adapted to be secured thereon by a pair of screws 96 which pass through an elongated slot 98 in the guide and are threaded into the projection.

The operation and use of the machine will now be briefly summarized. Let it be assumed that the proper adjustments have been made as to the positions of the guide roll 84 and the bending roll 56, and that the knob 48 has been so adjusted that a sole to be operated upon will be held beneath the feed wheel 26 at the level of the table I2. It is understood that the sole, if it engages the radial surface of the disk I8, is pressed against the disk beneath the feed wheel with only a very light pressure which is insufficient to cause the sole to be marked upon its grain side.

A sole to be operated upon, a right sole for example, is presented to the machine by inserting its inside margin at the heel breast line between the constantly rotating feed wheel 26 and the disk l8. The sole at first is moved crosswise of the axis of the feed wheel until its edge is engaged by both the guide 84 and the guard 18. At this time, the forming of the margin of the sole by the projection 58 and roll 58, as well as the feeding move-. ment of the sole, begins. Since the feeding action of the feed wheel is directed obliquely across the sole margin its component extending in the direction of the sole edge imparts the feeding movement to the sole, and the other component, perpendicular to the sole edge, causes the-sole continuously to be held against the "guide 84 and guard 18. As the forming of the-sole proceeds, its margin and body portionsin advance of the feed wheel are bent away from the table by the projection B and the roll :56 respectively- This bending of the sole, which primarily is for the purpose of imparting a transverse curvature to-it, also causes the portion of the sole beyond the feed Wheel to be held downaga-inst the table l2 whereby the sole is maintained in a straight condition lengthwise thereof at and for some distance beyond the locality where thetransverse bending occurs. The guide 84 assists in'thus holding the sole against the table because of its overhanging sole engaging surface which 'causes the sole to be wedged against the table in response to the lateral pressure of the sole edgeagainst the guide.

The sole is swung as required by its changin contour to maintain contact at all times between the sole and the guide 84 and the guard 18. When a deeply concave .portion of the sole edge, such as that just behind the inside ball line of aright sole, approaches the projection 5B the sole swings abruptly in a clockwise direction (Fig. :6). At this time the auxiliary guide 94 also engages the sole edge and resists the tendency of the sole to become jammed against the guard 18. When the next convex portion of the sole reaches the projection 58 the edge of the sole moves away'from the auxiliary guide 94.

The Operation upon a right sole is completed when the outside heel breast lineis reached. At this time the machine may be treadled to raise the feed wheel 26 off the sole zandtto facilitate the removal of the sole from the machine by the operator.

A left sole is presented tothe machineby inserting its margin at the outside heel breast line between the feed wheel and disk l8, the operation being similar to that already described in connection with a right sole and terminating at the inside heel breast line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a rotating feed wheel, a support constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the sole beneath the feed wheel at the level of said table, bending members one at each side of said feed wheel, said members being constructed and arranged to act upon the body and the margin of the sole in advance of the bite of said feed wheel and support to bend the portions of the sole at each side of said feed wheel away from said table, a guide shaped and arranged to present an overhanging guiding surface to the edge of the sole beyond said feed wheel whereby the sole is held against said table, and means for operating said feed wheel to impart a feeding action directed obliquely across the sole margin toward said guide.

2. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a rotating feed wheel, a support constructed and arranged to hold the portion of the sole underneath the feed wheel at the level of said table, bending members one at each side of said feed wheel, said members comprising a roll and a projection on said support constructed and arranged to act upon the body and the margin of the sole respectively in advance of the bite of said feed wheel and support to bend the portions of the sole at each side of said feed wheel away from said table, a guide shaped and arranged to present antoverliang inggliiding stiriace to the edgeiot-"the sole fbeycndtsaid feed wheel whereby the soleis held against-said: table, andmeans tor operating said :reedrwheel to impart a feeding iacticn "directed obliquely :across the sole margin toward said guide.

,3. *In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a feed wheel, a freely rotating support having a flat surface flush withsaid table and adapted to support a sole inwardly from its edge against the pressure of sai'd feed wheel, means for bending away from said table the marginal and body'portions of the sole in advance of the bite of said feed wheel andsupport at eachside ofsaid feed wheel whereby a transverse curva- :ture is imparted tothemargin 0f the sole, a guide shaped and arranged to present an overhanging guiding surface to the edge of the sole beyond said feed "wheel whereby t-he sole "is held against said table, and means ifcr operating said feed wheel to impart a teed-m action directed obliquely across the :sole margin toward said guide.

4. In .a machine for operating upon soles, a table; a rotatin feed wheel, a freely rotatable member constructed and zarranged to supporta :sole against said feed wheel at $116 level of said table and to bend the margin: of' th-e .sole at one side of said (feed wheel awaysf-rom s-said table, a second member forbendinglthe sole at the other side aofsaid feed wheel away :from said table, and a :guide mountedon said table beyond :the point :of operation of said :feed "wheel and pre- :senting an overhanging guiding :sunfaceto the edge of the sole whereby ithcgsole isheld against the table, said feed wheel being mounted and arranged to @exert a feeding ction directed obliquely across the (margin rof the sole toward said guide.

5. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a feed wheel, a freely rotatable member having a surface at the level of said table adapted to support a sole inwardly from its edge beneath said feed wheel, said member also having a projection for bending the outer margin of the sole at one side of said feed wheel away from said table, a second rotatable member for bending the sole at the other side of said feed wheel away from said table, a guide beyond the point of operation of said feed wheel having a sole edge engaging surface disposed at an acute angle to said table, and means for operating said feed wheel to provide a feeding action directed between said guide and said projection.

6. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a feed wheel, a freely rotatable disk having a fiat sole supporting surface from which extends an axial projection arranged to bend the margin of a sole between said feed Wheel and disk away from said table, a guard mounted adjacent to said projection for preventing the sole edge from rising off said projection, a guide having a sole edge engaging surface converging with said table, and means for operating said feed wheel to provide a feeding action exerted obliquely across the margin of the sole toward said guide.

7. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a feed wheel, a freely rotatable disk adapted to support a sole beneath said feed wheel at the level of said table and having an axial projection arranged to bend the margin of the sole toward said feed wheel, said feed wheel being mounted yieldingly to press the sole against said disk, a guard associated with said feed wheel and surrounding said projection at the side thereof 7 adjacent to said feed wheel, a guide mounted on said table and having a sole edge engaging surface converging with said table, and means for operating said feed wheel to exert a feeding action directed obliquely across the margin of the sole.

8. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a rotating feed wheel, a freely movable member constructed and arranged to support a sole beneath said feed wheel at the level of said table and to bend the margin of the sole extending outwardly thereof from said feed wheel away from said table, a roll mounted to rotate freely on said table and arranged to bend the body of the sole away from said table, a guide roll mounted on said table, said roll being shaped to present an overhanging surface to the edge of the sole whereby the sole is held against the table, said feed wheel being mounted and arranged to exert a feeding action on the margin of the sole directed obliquely across it toward said guide.

9.In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a freely rotatable disk having a radial sole supporting surface flush with said table, a guide mounted on said table and having a sole edge engaging surface disposed at an acute angle to said table, a rotating feed wheel cooperating with said disk to exert on a sole therebetween a feeding action directed obliquely across the sole margin toward said guide, said disk having an axial projection arranged to bend the margin of the sole at one side of the feed wheel away from said table, and a frusto-conical roll at the other side of said feed wheel for bending the body of the sole away from said table.

10. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table, a frusto-conical roll, a rotating disk having a flat surface at the level of said table from which extends upwardly an axial projection, and

a rotating feed wheel cooperating with said disk to hold the sole inwardly from its edge at the level of said table whereby the marginal and body portions of the sole are bent about said feed wheel towards the sides thereof by said projection and roll respectively, said roll being mounted on said table for adjustment toward and away from said feed wheel.

11. In a machine for operating upon soles, a table on which a roll is mounted to rotate freely, a freely rotatable disk mounted flush with said table and having an axial projection extending upwardly therefrom, a rotating feed wheel 00- operating with said disk to hold the sole inwardly from its edge at the level of said table whereby the marginal and body portions of the sole are bent toward the sides of the feed wheel by said projection and roll respectively, and a pair of guides adapted to engage the sole edge at localities beyond and in advance of said feed wheel.

JOHN M. EWART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 387,059 Eppler, Jr. July 31, 1888 1,064,159 Nation June 10, 1913 2,191,179 Hood Dec. '7, 1937 2,209,495 Le Rette July 30, 1940 2,318,697 MacKenzie May 11, 1943 2,353,738 MacKenzie July 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 119,274 Germany Apr. 11, 1901 

